Stand near the trunk of your tree and look up into the canopy. Crown thinning and dying branches are often the indicator of a GSOB infestation. A healthy Oak will exhibit full thick leaves at the top, but as infestation occurs and progresses, branches and leaves will begin to die and thin. Another beetle (usually the western oak bark beetle) attacks drought stressed trees at in the upper branches.

Learning to differentiate details about your oak's canopy and trunk are key to evaluating your trees. Doing this at least annually allows one to have enough time to respond and best care for your oaks, before the infestation becomes critical to the tree's health.

If you love our community oak trees, please come to an expert panel presentation. GSOB, Golden Spotted Oak Borer, has now reached Escondido. This is the beetle devastating the oaks in Julian and much of East County. Since its discovery in 2008, GSOB is responsible for the death of over 100,000 oak trees in San Diego County, with the number growing every day.

What can we do to save our trees? Education, early detection and response is key to managing the health of the oak trees. Come hear the best available science and management practices from state level experts:

In researching GSOB, there are many opinions about what can and cannot be done. Some say nothing can be done – just let the trees die and contain the wood on site to prevent the further spread of GSOB. Others suggest using good horticulture, chemical sprays, tree injections and even herbal teas. This leaflet link is the most current and definitive source on GSOB:https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3833276.pdf

Further information and a Hands On work shop with professional arborist will happen later in June.